Overhead door and rigging



April 11, 1967 R. DUGGER 3,313,052

' I OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING Original Filed Dec. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet l @FICESZ 1:7

'37 F1, /2/8 C lb FIE .11

30 as B #24 I32 I25 /28C INVENTOR. RALPH L Balsa-ER BY @efaLam,

Aprifl 11, 1967 R. L. DUGGER 3,313,952

OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING Original Filed Dec. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIEIJE? 97 25 IH II I INVENTOR. RALPH L .Dl/(HFER BY Ma a, QQWM,

Aprifi W67 R. L. DUGGER OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Dec. 21. 1960 x w. a R MW mfi mm T N a EU D MM Law m M x h S 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 11, 1967 R. L. DUGGER OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING Original Filed Dec. 21, 1960 April 1967 R. L. DUGGER 3,313,062

OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING Original Filed Dec. 21, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 624 i: 6Z4 62. f /H 584 s 6/ 6 59 INVETOR. RALPH L, P116651? /pzg afl/ 8 11 Jo-fl/wau c? lofzffiww United States Patent 3,313,062 OVERHEAD DOOR AND RIGGING Ralph L. Dugger, Rte. 1, Box 121,

Hopkins, Minn. 55343 Original application Dec. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 77,331, new

Patent No. 3,184,804, dated May 25, 1965. Divided and this application Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,519

4 Claims. (Cl. 49-200) This application is a division of my application, Ser. No. 77,331, filed Dec. 21, 1960, now Patent No. 3,184,- 804, the latter being a continuation-in-part of my application, Ser. No. 556,198, filed Dec. 27, 1955, now abandoned, and a continuation-in-part of my application, Ser. No. 822,809, filed June 25, 1959, now Patent No. 3,118,- 189, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.

This invention relates to large doors for airplane hangars, equipment buildings, and other structures where it is desired to provide a door which can be quickly opened and closed over a large door access opening. Airplane hangars are a ready example of buildings wherein a large door is required. Others examples are buildings required for the storage of large road machinery, agricultural machinery and industrial buildings such as doors for warehouses, service garages, highway garages and the like. In many instances, no provision is made for the heating of the building and it is only desired that the door protect the equipment from sun, wind, rain and snow and provide a dry building space in which the equipment may be satisfactorily stored.

The requirements of ease and rapidity of operation vary. For military aircraft hangars, it is desired that the door be capable of being opened with great rapidity, particularly where the storage of fighter aircraft is involved. For other aircraft such as the storage of commercial and civilian aircraft, rapidity of operation is not always a prime requisite, but ease of operation is always desired. In the storage of many private aircraft, the aircraft owner may desire to open and close the doors single handedly without assistance from others. Hand power operation is desirable from the standpoints of reduced cost and lesser complexity and the door should be capable of operation without undue effort and at a reasonably rapid rate. The building arts have heretofore provided many types of doors for the aforesaid purposes but all have been subject to varying objections. The most common and least expensive type of door used for airplane hangars, industrial and agricultural buildings, and the like is the ordinary rolling door hung from an overhead track. Where the spans are large, as in airplane hangars and other space restrictions are imposed, the door width is separated into several segments or panels. Thus a door of 40 foot span may be divided into four overlapping panels of slightly more than feet and each arranged to roll on a separate overhead track while hanging vertically so as thus to be movable into an out-of-the-way position. Other doors are provided which are maintained in a vertical plane but the panels are hinged together on vertical hinge lines and the track is curved so that the door may bend as it is rolled out of the way along an inner side wall of the building.

All doors which remain in a vertical position during opening and closing movement, such as the ordinary rolling door on a straight or curved track, are subject to several difiiculties. The chief objection to such vertical doors is that they do not afford adequate protection. The panels which may be fabricated of wood or metal or metal sheeting on a wood or metal frame, are usually subject to some Warping and while the door is intended to hang vertically, the panel may become warped or bent and therefore frequently presents sizeable cracks along each end through which rain, snow, wind, dust and sand may blow. Furthermore, such doors must be provided with some stabilizing device at the bottom to prevent their flapping in the wind. Usually stakes, guide shoes or guide rollers are provided at the base but these, being exposed to the weather and subject to the difiiculty that the door may warp, must be set loosely so as to allow the door to be moved and this circumstance accordingly makes it impossible to fabricate such a door to remain actually tight during its useful life. Rolling doors which are composed of panels hinged together and mounted on curve track so as to roll back into and against a side wall of the building, such as a hangar, will take up space within the building against the side wall. This valuable space is frequently along the sides of the building and is fairly sizeable, particularly where the flat individual door panels must turn to follow the curve of a curved track leading into the building interior. In airplane hangars particularly, the width dimension of the building interior is a critical dimension because the wing tips of the airplane frequently are not very far from the side edges of the door opening and the sidewalls of the building. Therefore, if some of the width of the door span is consumed by the thickness of the door, then that much of the useful span of the door and of the building interior is lost from the service for which it was intended.

The second principal objection to the vertical rolling door is the necessity for keeping a space clear for the lower edge of the door as it moves. In snow, this can be a real problem, particularly if wet snow freezes in place. Even a little ice or hard snow under the lower edge of the door will make movement of the door difficult or impossible.

There are several patterns of overhead doors that have been used for large building openings such as hangars. One of these, commonly called the jack-knife or canopy door utilizes a door composed of two panels divided along a horizontal line about midway from top to bottom of the door with the upper and lower panels hinged together. The lower edge of the door is heavily reinforced and is guided by vertical guides along the side edges of the door opening and provision is made for vertically elevating the heavy reinforcement at the bottom of the door and hence lifting the door into a somewhat folded condition as it is opened with the hinge line projected out from the building. Such doors are subject to several difficulties, the chief of which is that a very heavy construction must be provided for the door itself which is held in a hinged condition exteriorly of the building when it is opened. The heavy construction consequently necessitates heavy gear for elevating the door and heavy guide rails along the vertical side edges of the door opening. Such heavy structures consume part of the useful span of the door, and the heavy operating gear requires an extended time of operation (or power equipment) for opening and closing the door.

Variations of the foregoing door types are many but all are subject to objection along one or more lines.

It is an .object of the present invention to provide a door for large widespan door openings capable of being manufactured at relatively low cost and rigged so that it can be operated easily and quickly even by hand operation.

It is a further object to provide an improved door construction in which large sizes of doors are capable of being operated by a few easy turns of the crank by one person or utilizing only low horsepower motor equipment for actuating the door. It is another object of the invention to provide a widespan door of unitary construction including mountings and riggings for elevating the door upwards and backwards into the building to a position in which all except a minimal portion of the door is within the building structure and protected from the elements when the door is open. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved door for large widespan openings composed of a single unitary panel extending from one side edge to the other side edge of the door opening and so rigged that when the door is elevated the entire span of the opening is useable, the opening being (if desired) devoid of jambs or other clearance consuming protuberances. It is a further object of the invention to provide subcombination door rigging assemblies. It is another object of the invention to provide a versatile door for widespan openings capable of being mounted and rigged so that it can be operated from the interior or exterior of the building, as desired. It is another object of the invention to provide an improved building construction and more particularly an improved airplane hangar having an easily openable wide span unitary panel construction door rigged for easy opening and closing by hand power.

Other objects of the invention include an improved wide span door structure composed of a plurality of individually supported theoretical sections set side by side and attached to form a unitary whole which constitutes the wide span door, each of the sections being supported by a stiffener or backbone along the vertical midline of the section, the door in its entirety being relatively flexible about vertical axis in the plane of the door, and to provide rigging supporting each stiffener and section attached thereto for moving the sections simultaneously along corresponding paths of motion and hence the whole door which they compose to the end that the entire unitary door shall be moved from closed to open position and vice versa. Another object of the invention is to provide a wide span door which in its vertical position has relatively great stiffness about a horizontal axis in the plane of the door but is relatively flexible about vertical axis in the plane of the door, together with provision for supporting the door at its upper and lower edges when in the closed position against wind pressure and other deflecting forces.

Other and further objects of the invention include the provision of improved multiple latching apparatus for a wide span overhead door, together with improved operating mechanism for releasing the door from all of its latches simultaneously across its entire width.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved elongated multiple-T aircraft hangar building having hangar unit door openings staggered with reference to each other along opposite sides of the building and wherein the roof structure is of a configuration and is arranged with reference to the hangar door openings, so that drainage and drippage from the roof is confined to those portions of the roof edge which are between the adjacent hangar unit door openings and is restricted from occurring from those portions of the roof edge which are over the hangar unit door openings.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved door construction wherein several door supports are provided and are so rigged and mounted as to permit relatively uniform distribution of load to spaced loading points on the building structure, regardless of deflection of such structure.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved wide span door so constructed as to allow easy and economical adaptation to variation in wall to wall dimensions and heights while at the same time permitting the use of stock-size material.

It is another object to provide a weather flashing at the 7 ing components of large doors; improved rigging layouts;

unitized operating mechanism and objects inherent in the apparatus as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

The invention is illustrated with reference to the drawings in which corresponding numerals refer to the same parts, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational View of a portion of a building having a door opening closed by a door fabricated according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of arrows 2-2 of FIGURE 1 illustrating a section through the door and portion of the building when the door is in closed position and illustrating the rigging by which it is supported and manipulated.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 33 of FIGURES 2 and 5 and shows the rear or interior side of the door in rear elevation.

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the door at one of its side jambs at the level and in the direction of arrows 4-4 of FIGURE 3. This view is enlarged as compared to FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view entered through the building and door. This view is taken at the level of line 55 of FIGURE 2, which latter however shows a vertical section only halfway through the build- FIGURES 6, 7 and 8 are enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional views through the door. FIGURE 6 shows the head of the door, its overhead support, and some of the latching details and one mode of flashing.

FIGURE 7 is another view corresponding to FIGURE 6, but illustrating another mode of flashing.

FIGURE 8 is a section at a lower level illustrating the cable support attachment.

FIGURE 9 is a related fragmentary front elevational view taken in the direction of arrows 99 of FIGURE 8. FIGURES 8 and 9 together show the mode of cable-end anchorage to the door.

FIGURES 10 and 11 illustrate the latching. FIGURE 10 shows a horizontal view at the level 10-10 of FIG- URE 7 of one latch; FIGURE 11 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken in the direction of arrows 1111 of FIGURE 10.

FIGURES 12 and 13 relate to FIGURE 2 and are somewhat enlarged views of the crank mechanism by which the door is operated, FIGURE 12 being a vertical elevational View in the direction of arrows 12-12 of FIGURE 2, and FIGURE 13 is a side elevational view in the direction of arrows 13-13 of FIGURE 12.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the part of the truss over the door opening, the door head and associated rigging, illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the front elevation of the door and the adjacent portions of the building is illustrated in FIGURE 1 and as there shown the door consists of a unitary flat panel having a width W and a height H for closing the door opening 0. While. the door may be used in any building for which it is adapted, it is here illustrated as applied to a multiple nested-T hangar, the novel con struction of which is a feature of the invention.

As will be observed from FIGURES 2 and 5, the illus trated building has a building centerline CL extending throughout the length of the building, which is of rectangular outside wall plan. In the building there are transverse walls 1, 2, 3 and 4 and centerline walls 5 and 6, see FIGURE 5, which serve to delineate the floor plan of the individual hangar units, which when nested together form the plan of the building. The end hangar units of the building, not illustrated, are squared out. As shown in FIGURE 5 there is a hangar unit U1 partially illustrated and adjacent and nested with it is the hangar unit U2, having a hangar unit centerline transverse to the building centerline. Hangar unit U2 is shown in complete plan and is nested to a third hangar unit U3, partially illustrated. The entire building may include as units facing in alternate directions. Thus, the two units,

U1 and U3 face in one direction whereas the unit U2 faces in the opposite direction with reference to the centerline of the building.

As shown for hangar unit U2, each hangar unit has a tailbay of rectangular area which for unit U2 is bounded by a tailbay backwall 19, this being also one portion of the building sidewall, and by walls 2 and 3 and the building centerline. The tailbay is two modules wide, from wall 2 to wall 3, and one-half the building width deep. The wingbay is four modules wide, symmetrical about the hangar unit centerline. The wingbay is bounded by cross wall 1, centerline wall 5 and thence along the building centerline to centerline Wall 6 and thence along the cross wall 4 to wall 18. The wingbay space is entirely open across the front from the corner of walls 1 and 17 to the corner of walls 4 and 18. This is the hangar door opening in the sidewall of the building and which is adapted to be closed by the hangar door according to this invention.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the hangar units are sized dimensionally of multiples of the modular dimension, viz: MOD1, MOD2, MOD3 and MOD4, of equal dimension along the length of the building measured in the direction of the centerline of the building, and are the width of the wingbay space. The tailbay is two modules wide. The total width of the building determines the depth of the hangar units and may be as desired. A truss is provided at 8 along the centerline of the building over each tailbay TB, and another truss 9 is provided over each hangar unit door opening. Each of the hangar units thus has a tailbay truss along the center line and a truss spanning the door opening.

In the foregoing description, the building is a nested multiple-T hangar building, in itself presenting novel features of the invention, but it will be appreciated that the door of the present invention hereinafter described, may be utilized in other buildings such as farm buildings, industrial buildings and the like whenever it is desired to close a large door opening.

From FIGURE 1 it will be observed that the truss 9 is covered on its front surface by a sheeting 10. In FIG- URE 2 the bottom cord of the door truss is shown as composed of a pair of angles 11 and the top cord as a pair of angles 12. Other truss members are omitted but it will be understood that vertical and diagonal members, not illustrated, are included as is customary in truss design. In addition, as will be described, the truss includes as a part of the truss structure parallel vertical members 13 in spaced apart relation, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, which serve as mountings for the front end of the door supporting tracks, as will be described hereinafter. These members 1313 do serve as at least a portion of the vertical members of the truss structure thus reducing duplication of such vertical members in the truss itself. As shown, the vertical members 13 are on the rear face of the truss and would, in proper truss design, be balanced by some similar member or members on the front of the truss, not illustrated.

The front closure on the outer face of the truss is here illustrated as wood sheeting, but may be composed of any desired material. For attaching the wood sheeting there is provided a wood nailer 14 along the bottom cord of the truss, the nailer being held in place by bolts 15, another nailer 14A being provided above the roof joists R] level with the roof decking RD. In the building illustrated, the roof is level, or substantially level and is supported by roof joists R], see FIGURE 2. These roof joists may be of the type customarily designated bar joist. The position of the bar joists are also shown in FIGURE 5 and it will be observed that they are spaced apart from each other by one-half of the modular dimension MOD, and run at right angles to the building centerline. The bar joists BI serve as convenient supports for the rear part of the door supporting tracks and other rigging of the door equipment. Thus it will be observed edges.

6 that at 16 a hanger extends down from the bar joists to a point 17 on the rear end of the door supporting track 68, which is suspended at two points only.

Referring to FIGURE 5, the wall 1 is connected at its outer end to the building outer wall 17 which is the back wall of the tailbay of hangar unit U1 and wall 4 is connected to the building outer wall '18 which, similarly is the back wall of the tailbay of hangar unit U3. At the opposite side of the building the wall 19 forms the outer wall of the building and is the backwall of the tailbay of hangar unit U2. The walls 1, 2, 3, 4 and '17 through 19 are composed of any suitable building material such as concrete blocks, sheeting on steel frame, wood construction or the like.

The roof here illustrated may be level or may have some pitch throughout its various portions as describe-d below and is supported by the roof joists RJ. Steel roof deck RD spans the joists. On this is laid an insulation layer RI and over this a multiple layer roof R. The roof edges are straight and opposite edges along the sides of the whole building are parallel. End wall (not shown) of the building run across the building at right angles to the building centerline. The roof edge has a flashing and gravel stop EF, which confines the roof drainage except where this flashing is interrupted.

According to the novel aspects of my invention I interrupt the roof edge flashing EF (which otherwise oonfines the rain water and drainage) only at locations along those portions of the roof edge which coincides with the tailbay back Walls. Thus to provide roof drainage, interruptions of the edge flashing EF may be at a convenient place along each of the backwalls 17, 19 and '18 of the hangar units U1, U2 and U3 respectively. I prefer to locate these places of roof drainage at that point along the hangar unit backwalls where the hangar unit centerline crosses such backwall. One such drain point DP, is shown in FIGURE 5, along backwall 19 of unit U2 and it will be understood that another similarly located drainpoint is provided for each hangar unit in the building. Roof drainage is thus directed to places along the hangar unit tailbay backwalls and drainage and drippage and consequent difiicu-lties is avoided along the hangar unit door openings 0.

According to one aspect of my invention the roof may be pitched slightly to facilitate drainage to the drain points DP, drainage being otherwise confined along the roof This pitching is obtained by providing the following roof elevations: Along the building centerline at locations 205-209, the elevation of roof R is preferably constant at elevation C, above footings. At locations 200, 204, 210 and 212 the elevation of the roof R is C minus a dimension A, thus C-A; at location 201 and 203 the elevation of the roof is C plus B. At location 211, the elevation may be C-A, but I prefer to make it a little lower thus (CA)D. The hangar unit roof will then always drain either to its drain point DP or to the drain point DP of an adjacent unit. Elevation at 202 may be the same as at 201 and 203, or slightly higher. Dimensions B and D may be the same as A.

Referring to FIGURES 1 and 5 it will be noted that the width W of the door spans the entire door opening 0, except for a small clearance space SC at each side. It is one feature of the invention that when the door is opened the entire door opening 0 (which is the dimension W plus the clearance space SC at each end), is entirely open and is available for movement therethrough of any wide object such as the wing span of an airplane. If desired, in some installations, there may be provided side tracks along the vertical side walls of the door opening 0 and the tracks may form door jambs. Such tracks and jambs are utilized where desired. lambs may also be used where irregularities of building construction may result in an uneven wall surface of those portions of the wall 1 and 4 next adjacent to the door, or may be utilized where extremely small clearance space SC and special flashing modes are desired.

In FIGURE 1, the door is illustrated as of a height H. A small bottom clearance BC is provided at the bottom of the door and this may be closed by a flap of flexible material if desired. At the top of the door a clearance space is provided as shown at TC in FIGURE 6. It will be noted that the front closure 10 (which covers the front portion of the truss) extends down slightly below the nailer 14 to the bottom edge 10A. The bottom surface of the mailer 14 forms a surface with reference to which the clearance TC is measured down to the top surface of the door flashing 49.

According to the present invention, the entire door width W and height H is one unit, but may be considered theoretically, as being composed of a plurality of panels of substantially equal width dimensions, as shown at P1, P2, P3 and P4, such panels being set side-to-side and so composed and joined as to form a unitary door area. Thus referring to FIGURE 1, one panel may be considered as extending throughout the width P1 from one side edge 21 of the door to the dotted line 22. The next panel P2 extends from line 22 to line 23; the third panel extends from the line 23 to line 24, and the fourth panel extending from line 24 to the opposite side edge 25 of the door. In the door illustrated four such panels are shown, but it will beunderstood that the door may be composed of any number N of such theoretical panels composed sideby-side each being independently supported and rigged as hereinafter described. Thus the width W of the door may be increased or decreased as desired by using any desired number of panels.

Each of the theoretical panels P1 through P4, or as many as may be considered as making up the door span, is constructed so as to be a self-supported unit. All such panels are designed and rigged so as to be moved simultaneously through corresponding paths of motion from closed to open position and vice versa, and since the panels are joined together so as to form a single unitary door the door hence moves as a unit.

For each of the panels P1 through P4, or as many as may be used, there is a backbone support provided along the vertical center line of the panel. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, such support or backbone of each panel is composed of a pair of structural angles. Thus, referring to FIGURE 3, which shows the interior view of the door, such vertical backbone support for panel P1 is composed of the angles 27 and 28. Similarly the vertical backbone support of panel P2 is composed of the angles 29 and 3d; the vertical backbone support of panel P3 is composed of the backbone 3-1 and 32 and the backbone support of the panel P4 is composed of the angles 33 and 34. Since support is thus provided at the vertical centerline of each panel P1 through P4, the transverse structural stiffness of each panel required for the support of each panel need only be sufficient to provide stiffness throughout the width of the panel, as for example, throughout the dimension P1 for panel P1, rather than for the full width of the door. Structurally each panel is thus composed of a vertical backbone member which provides sufficient stiffness against bending about a horizontal axis through the height of the panel as when the panel is loaded from the exterior to (designed) wind loading. The transverse support (across the width of the door) is composed of spaced horizontal structural members stressed in cantilever. Thus extending across the width of the door there are a plurality of structural purlins 35, 36, 37, 38 and 39, which may be of sheet metal shape and of the nailable type, if desired, and a top channel member 40. The purlins are of a stiffness so as to provide the requisite support when considered as cantilever beams with reference to the vertical backbone angles at the center point of support of the panel. In addition, in order to tie the entire door structure together as a unit, such transverse purlins and top 8 channel are made unitary throughout the width W of the door and thus hold the entire door together in one unitary composite.

Except for this purpose of tying the door panels together, the purlins 35-39 and channel 40 are theoretically unloaded at the lines 22, 23 and 24. The sheeting S of the door is run continuously from adjacent one edge 21 to adjacent the opposite side edge 25, being lapped as required between individual sheeting pieces. The sheeting S is steel roof decking ribbed in a vertical direction and is hence resistant to bending about a horizontal axis. Sheeting S and the backbone members 27-28, etc. constitute balanced vertically stiff members tied in spaced relation by the purlins 3-539, which are horizontally stiff.

The purlins are set at intervals horizontally in spaced relation in respect to the door height. Two such purlin stiffeners are provided at 36 and 37, at a horizontal level, part way up the door, which it is desired to guide along a predetermined calculated path, either arcuate or straight, as described in my application aforementioned. The purlins and channels 35 through 40 do not, and are not intended, to provide stiffness across the entire door width sufficient to support the door if it were supported only at its sides during movement to the open position. On the contrary the purlins 340 need only provide sufficient stiffness to prevent deflection about the vertical backbones 27-28, 29-30, 31-32 and 33-34. As will be described hereinafter, support is provided to hold the bottom and top of the door in fixed relation when it is in vertical position. Latches are provided as will be described adjacent each of the backbones and either curbs SISI shown in dotted lines in FIGURES 2 and 3, or blocks are set a little above floor level, adjacent the bottom of the backbones or along lower purlin 35. The backbones are thus held securely when the door is in the closed (vertical) position, and the strength of the backbones is thus transferred to the purlin members throughout the width of the entire door panel. Note that curbs SI are interrupted in the middle of the door space to allow airplane or other wheels to move in and out at floor level.

For convenience in manufacturing, the backbone stiffeners are made as preassembled units. For this purpose the two angles which compose each backbone stiffener are held together by transverse members which in turn serve as brackets for the purlin members. Thus referring to FIGURES 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 it will be observed that the angles composing the backbone are set so that adjacent flanges of the angles are parallel in closely spaced relation, as shown in FIGURE 4. This presents the cooperating flanges of the angles in a common vertical plane directed to the front of the door and parallel with the plane of the door. Across the front of these angles are then provided a plurality of clips 41, 42, 43, 44 and 45, see FIGURES 2, 6 and 8. One of these clips is shown in dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The clips are composed of two plates of metal of sufficient length so as to extend across the front flanges of the angles of the backbone. Thus as shown in FIGURE 4 the clip 42 extends nearly across the span of the two flanges of the angles when they are placed in the relationship shown with a space between their adjacent flanges. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the purlins in cross section look like small I-beams. These may be of extruded or rolled sections or of pressed metal such as the type known as STRAN (trademark) steel nailable joists. The clip has an inner plate 42A (see FIGURE 3) which is of a thickness equal to the metal forming the flange of the purlin which is received in the clip. Then in addition, there is another plate 42B of the clip which serves to lap upwardly over the flange of the purlin. The clips are pre-assembled with the angles forming the backbone stiffeners (as angles 27-28) and are then welded in place across the angle of the backbone as shown for angle 27 and 28 for FIG- URE 4. The clips thus hold the backbone angles in preassembled relationship. Note as shown in FIGURE 2,

that the clip 41 faces downwardly and receives the upwardly extending flange of the purlin 35 which reaches upwardly and is received into the clip. The clips 42, 44 and 45 all face upwardly and receive a lower flange of a purlin. The clip 43 faces downwardly and receives an upper flange of the purlin. The reason for this is as follows: In assembling the door the backbone angles are laid horizontally in parallel spaced relationship. The precut purlins are then laid across the backbones and tapped into place in the clips which thus serve to hold the purlins in neatly spaced parallel relation transversely across the door. Between the purlins 36 and 37 there is a forwardly extending bar 44 at each backbone support. This bar 44 fits into the space between the backbone angles as shown in FIGURE 4 and is welded thereto. This bar 44 extends outwardly between the angles and continues outwardly through the width dimension of the purlin and then still farther throughout the thickness dimension of the sheeting S. The bar 44 sticks out a little and is an anchorage for the cable supports, the stresses being carried back to the backbone angles. In assembling the door framing the bar 44 is driven in between the purlin 36 and 37 after they have been laid in their clips 42 and 43 respectively. The member 44 thus serves to hold the purlin 36 and 37 firmly into their clips and when the sheeting of the door is subsequently attached to these purlins by nails and screws the sheeting is thus held from movement either up or down regardless of the direction the remaining clips 41, 44 or 45, or as many as may be used, are ositioned on the backbone angles of the door. The clip 41 is faced downwardly and receives an upper flange of the purlin 35. The reason for this is to save space at the bottom of the door for if the clip 41 were placed below the purlin 35 the backbone angles 27 and 28 would necessarily have to extend down below the purlin 35 and would effect ground level clearance. 7

It is one feature of the present invention that standard sizes of sheeting and other materials may be utilized for doors of various heights. In order to achieve this, the head of the door is composed of a metal flashing which not only serves to extend the height dimension of the door but also serves to form a close fit at the head of the door adjacent the truss construction. Thus referring to FIGURES 2 and 6 it will be observed that the sheeting material S of the door terminates adjacent the top purlin 45. In the door illustrated, this sheeting was approximately ten feet high by twenty-eight inches wide. In order to obtain the extra height for the door there is included another transverse structural member across the width of the door, namely the channel 40. Channel 40 is set in place after the door is raised and is either welded or bolted to the backbone angles. In FIGURE 2 bolts are shown as extending through the space between the adjacent flanges of the backbone angle and through one flange of the channel 40 where it holds the channel in place. This bolt 48 may have the head welded in place on the edge of the backbone angles 27 and 28, so as to hold it firmly. In the construction of any very large size door, dimensional accuracy of the door opening truss can never be assured. In many installations the truss spanning the door opening may have a camber of as much as one inch in height at the center of the truss to allow for vertical deflection downwardly in case of severe roof loading. Thus the dimension TC as shown in FIGURE 6 may vary somewhat throughout the width of the door and clearance TC must be suflicient so as to permit downward deflection of the truss under loading without interference with the top of the door. Accordingly, fairly generous clearance is provided at TC. Thus after the door is raised and before the top sheeting is placed on it the channel 40 is placed at a prescribed dimension TC downwardly from the underside of the nailer 14 and is bolted in place. If the nailer does not run precisely level, the channel 40 can follow it, within limits. The sheeting of the door, here illustrated as steel roof decking S, see FIGURES 1, 2, 4 and 6, is nailed or otherwise fastened to the purlins 35 through 39, while the door is horizontal and is accordingly on the door when it is raised. Then there is provided a sheet of metal 49 which laps at 49A over the top of the sheeting S and is fastened in place by sheet metal screws 50. The metal sheet 49 is parallel with the outer surface of the main roof deck sheeting panels S already fastened to the door and extends vertically upwardly to closely adjacent the inner surface of the material 10 which closes the truss space. The sheet 49 then extends horizontally inwardly at 49B where it laps in varying amount over the web of the channel 40 and is fastened in place by sheet metal screws 51. The sheeting 49B is bent so as to have an upwardly extending flange 49C which rises vertically throughout a portion of the thickness dimension of the nailer 40 and overlaps sufficiently so as to form a reasonably tight closure with reference to the inner surface of the nailer 14. Here again it will be noted that close dimensional accuracy can be achieved only with extra effort in exceedingly large doors and a space PC is allowed in the design shown for variations and trueness of the inner face of the nailer 14. If desired this space may be filled with a soft compressible material where close fit is desired.

Referring to FIGURE 7 it will be noted that the portion 49B of the sheeting 49 is illustrated as extending inwardly with respect to the door and into contact with the front surfaces of the backbone angles 27-28 where the sheeting rises vertically at 49D, to a height sufficient so that it is above the inner edge of the inner angle 11 forming the bottom cord of the truss. This flange 49B thus closes firmly against the inner edge of the bottom cord of the truss and effects a tight closure thereagainst. The flange 49D is notched appropriately as shown to clear the latches of the door, which will be mentioned hereinafter. FIGURES 6 and 7 thus illustrate two modes of construction of the top sheeting metal 49 of the door by which varying closures may be made.

Referring to FIGURE 4 the vertical sheeting S of the door is of the type of material commonly known as roof decking. It is ribbed in the vertical direction and has vertical grooves which maybe of varying dimensions, spacing and shape according to the particular type of roof decking that is used. Thus in my application aforementioned the corugations in the roof decking are shown as rounded, whereas the roof decking S herein illustrated has corrugations of V-shape which are less rounded at the bends. Either type may be used. The fastening of the roof decking to the purlins is effected by means of nails, which are driven into the nailable Stran (trademark) steel purlins 35 through 39. This permits an easy and very effective fastening at low cost. Wherever a hall cannot be set due to the construction of the purlin or interference with diagonal bracing or other reasons, the fastening can 'be accomplished easily by drilling a small hole In the flange of the purlin and setting a sheet metal screw. Other modes of fastening of the sheeting S to the purlins may be utilized and it should be understood that the purlins extending across the door herein illustrated may be of other structural shapes such as rolled channels or angles appropriately supported on the backbone structures of the door. The fastenings of the sheeting members in such case will be appropriate to the particular purlin material that is used.

As shown in FIGURE 3, diagonal cross bracing 5050 is provided between the backbone angles 27-28 and the backbone angles 2930 and is provided between the backbone angles 31-32 and 33-34. Such diagonal bracing may also be included between any of the backbone angles of the door as may be needed for increasing the diagonal stiffness dimensionally of the door. The preferred form of stiffener can be a light sheet metal strap that is run directly across the front faces of the purlins, before the vertical ribbed sheeting is applied. Such diagonal bracing here illustrated at tl-5ti is fastened in place by sheet metal screws or welding before the vertically ribbed sheeting is applied.

The sheeting S has great stiffness about bending along a horizontal line with reference to the door. Thus the sheeting resists bending about the purlins and when a wind load is exerted against the exterior surface of the door the load is accordingly transferred to the purlins and from the purlins to each of the backbone angles of the door and thence to the latching members generally designated 121-124 and 151-154 at spaced intervals across the head of the door and to curbs or stops at floor level.

Referring to FIGURE 4 another feature of the invention includes a provision of side flashing material for the door by means of which a very close side clearance dimension SC may be maintained. In the fabrication of very large size doors the vertically ribbed roof decking material S is applied while the door is in a horizontal position, and while the door may be made dimensionally accurate there is no assurance that such accurately built door will fit the opening in which the door is raised. Accordingly in some installations it was found that after the door was raised a considerable variation in dimension would be noted between the ends of the purlins and the adjacent wall 4 ofthe building. It will be noted from FIGURE 4 that the ends of the purlins are stabilized by beingembraced by a channel or other stiffening member 53 which is either fastened with sheet metal screws or by welding to the ends of the purlins. The channel 53 may during the construction period and while the door is horizontal, and before raising the door, be set so as to provide a generous clearance GC as shown in FIGURE 4 with reference to the adjacent surface of the wall 4. There is no assurance that this clearance will remain constant after thedoor is raised since the door opening may run out of plumb or may be irregular. Then after the door is raised there is provided a bent sheet metal piece generally designated as 55 which has a front flange 55B, a mid web 55A, and a rear flange 55C. The sheet metal piece 55A is set after the door is raised so as to maintain a very small clearance SC with reference to the adjacent portion of the Wall 4 and is then fastened in place by sheet metal screws 56 which enter the channel 53 and by sheet metal screws 57 which enter the front surface of roof decking material S. The lap of the flange 55B of the sheet metal over the front of the roof decking S varies as needed. This provides not only a neat finish for the edge of the door but also enables the builder to maintain a very close clearance SC. The metal 55 may be temporarily clipped in place and the door run up and down preliminarily before the fastenings 56 and 57 are placed, so as to avoid rubbing of the portion 55A against the inner face of the wall 4 at any position of movement of the door. If desired the metal 55 can then be bent slightly out of vertical to accommodate the irregularities of the wall and if desired the portion 55A may be provided with flexible members extending toward the wall for light rubbing contact or for maintaining closer clearance with the adjacent face of the wall 4. 1

According to the present invention each of the panels P1 through P4, or as many as are used, are individually supported in an identical manner. The individual supports for panel P1 will be described and it will be understood that the supports for panels P2 through P4, or as many as are used, will be identical unless otherwise stated. Thus referring to FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, the supporting structure for the door comprises in each instance a cable which is fastened to the outer surface of the door midway between the top and the middle thereof, and an overhead track. Referring first to the cable structures, as previously described, each of the pairs of backbone angles, as for example, the backbone angles 27-28 for panel P1, has an outwardly extending plate 59 fastened in the space between adjacent flanges of the angles 27-28 and extending out between the pairs of purlins 36 and 37 and through a slot, which is cut in the sheeting S, and extends slightly beyond the front surface of that sheeting. On the extending end of member 59 there is a pivot hole to which a cable clevis 58 is attached. This construction and the clevis are best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 8 and 9. Thus the member 59 in the preferred embodiment is placed after the door is raised. First a slot S1 is cutin the sheeting in a position aligned vertically with the space between the adjacent edges of the flanges of the purl-ins 36 and 37 and in alignment laterally with the space between the adjacent flanges of the angles 27 and 28, see FIGURE 4. The plate 59 is then driven through and the flanges of the angles 27 and 28 are clamped up firmly against the inner portion of the plate 59 and the plate is welded in at 59A. It may be mentioned parenthetically that during the framing of the door the angles 27-28, 29-30, 3132 and 33-34 are placed as near as possible to their correct positions as determined by measurments from one of the walls to the center lines of each of the overhead track structures which have previously been placed in the building structure. The door is then framed, the sheeting S is nailed and screwed in place and the door is then raised. Any minor irregularities in the spacing of the backbone angles may then be corrected since they support the purlins but are slidable sideways with reference to the purlins by virtue of the clip holding arrangements 4145. This is before channel 40 is bolted in place. By using a hand sledge the backbone angles are then adjusted laterally until they come directly beneath the overhead track supports. This is done for the upper ends of the backbone angle supports. The lower portions of the backbone angle supports are also moved so as to plumb the backbones. It is particularly desirable to have the upper portion properly positioned precisely below the tracks. Since the sheeting S has corrugated ribs on it and the apertures S1 can be cut theret'hrough most easily when not aligned with a corrugation the lower ends of the backbone angles 27-28, etc., may be shifted slightly out of plumb if desired, to avoid interference. Then the slots S1 are cut and the plates 59 are driven through and welded as previously described. The outer end of each of the plates has an aperture at the position 59B.

An effective and economical form of cable clevis 58 is illustrated. This consists of two side plates 58A having holes drilled at the bottom and aligned so as to receive a pin 6% which goes through the aperture 59B of the plate 59. The pin 60 can be an ordinary button rivet having [a hole drilled through one end thereof where receiving the cotter pin 61. The upper ends of the plates 58A are likewise drilled to receive a short piece of ordinary hot-rolled steel bar stock 62 which is welded in place to each plate at 58A. Since the cable clevis is exposed to the weather it is preferably plated. A standard steel cable thimble 63, galvanized or otherwise rustproofed is spread sufficiently so as to be snapped over the bar 62, and a stranded steel cable likewise of galvanized stock 64 is then wrapped around the t himble 62 and is securely fastened in place by aircraft type squeeze fasteners 65. The cable 64 then runs directly upwardly in front of the sheeting S1 of the door parallel thereto and then passes over a pulley 65 and runs substantially directly inwardly into the building along the path 64A, see FIGURE 5.

The level at which the plates 59 are inserted through the door, and hence to which the cable 64 is attached, is identical for each of the panels P1 through P4 served by the cable supports. This level, which is shown by line 116 in FIGURE 1, in the illustrated form of the structure is determined by the spacing between purlins 36 and 37, and may be at any position from adjacent the lower edge of the door to closely adjacent to but below the middle of the door, halfway from the bottom to the top. This establishes the level of the cable clevis pins 60. I prefer that this level should be from a position approximately 20% to 40% of the vertical height of the door measured from the lower edge.

Reference is now made to the track structure 68 serving the panel P1. Such track structure 68 is identical with all of the remaining track structures serving the panels P2 through P4 and hence only one need be de scribed. The track structure 68 comprises a track 69 which is securely fastened to a structural steel member 70, which in the preferred embodiment is a structural T placed in an inverted position, with the central web extending upwardly. This structural T reinforcement is welded to the track 69 at intervals throughout the length of the assembly and after welding the track is gauged so as to provide uniform spacing along this lot in the bottom of the track 69 thereby to assure smooth running of the roller hanger 68 which supports the backbone angles 27-28 along track 69. At the front end of the track assembly there are a pair of spaced vertically extending plates 71 having a secure fastening plate 72 welded between their upper ends. The plates 71 thus extending upwardly are apertured at 73 to receive a pivot pin 74 upon which the pulley 65 is journaled. The front edge of the plate 71 namely the edge 71A is designed so as to have a slight clearance with reference to the inner surface of the sheeting which covers the front of the truss space and slots are cut through such sheeting 10 so as to permit an arcuate portion of the pulley 65 to extend outwardly therethrough so as to permit it to receive the upward run of cable 64. After passing one-quarter of the way around the pulley 65 the cable continues along the portion 64A of its 11111 as will be described.

Referring to FIGURE 6 particularly, it will be observed that the web 78 A of the structural T 70 is cut away along the line 70B so as to provide adequate clearance for the lower circumferential portion of the .pulley 65. The plates 71 are joined together at their upper edges by the cross-plate 72, welded securely in place, and the plate 72 is apertured to receive a long bolt 75 the head of which is situated below the plate 72 and the shank of the bolt extending upwardly. The structural members 1313 which are made a part of the truss, and are illustrated in FIGURE 3 have welded to them a cross bracket 76 which is likewise apertured in proper position to receive the upward shank of the bolt 75. Above the plate 76, there is a spring 77 around the bolt. .The lower end of spring 77 bottoms securely upon the plate 76. A washer and nut are placed at 78 on the bolt and are screwed down as to compress the spring 77 which accordingly supports the bolt 75, and through it supports the front end of the entire track structure 68.

Movement of the track structure 68 toward and away from sheeting 10 is precluded by a pair of clips 7979 which are welded to one of the side plates '71 and spaced so as to bear, with slight clearance, against the adjacent edges of one of the vertical angles 13. Thus the front end of the track structure 68 is free to move up and down within the limits of compressibility of the spring 77 but is precluded from moving sideways by virtue of the spacing of the vertically arranged angles 13 of the structure, and is precluded from moving toward or away from the inner surface of the sheeting 10 by virtue of the clips 79 which stabilizes the front end of the structure with reference to the vertical angles 13. The rear end of the track structure 68 is supported in any suitable manner from the overhead framing of the building, here illustrated as a hanger 16 which goes through an aperture 17 in the rear end of the track structure 68 and is hooked on to the bar joist R]. It will be noted that there is a slight downward slant of the track structure 68 toward the door opening, the degree of which may be varied. In the track 69 of the track structure 68, there is positioned a roller hanger, generally designated 68, of ordinary commercial design, as is the track 69. I prefer to use extra strong roller hangers of ball or roller hearing construction. The hanger has a downwardly extending pendant 81 which is apertured at its lower end to receive a pivot pin 82 which passes through suitably placed 14.- apertures in the upper end of the backbone angles 27 and-28. In the design, the front flanges of the pairs of backbone angles 27-28 are arranged to seat against the inner edge of the inner lower angle of the truss bottom chord, which accordingly determines the forward run of the door during its closing movement.

Referring to FIGURES l, 2, 3 and 5 and 6 particularly, it will be noted that the run 64A of the cable 64 extends substantially straight inwardly Within the building with respect to the sheeting 10. It continues this run, designated 64A, and thence passes around pulley 83 which is disposed in a substantially horizontal plane and thence passes directly over a drum 84, which is sufiiciently wide to receive the corresponding runs of the remaining pulley as will be described. The run 64A of the cable is preferably displaced slightly so as to avoid the rear hanger 16 by which the track is supported. The run 64A is normally sufficiently long so that a slight angular displacement, to allow clearance with hanger 16, for example one inch at the point 16A, see FIGURE 5, is unnoticeable and does not cause any difliculty with respect to the travel of the cable over the pulley 65.

The corresponding cables for the panel P2 through P4 are similarly attached to backbones 2930, 31-32 and 33-34. These rise vertically and after passing around a pulley corresponding to pulley 65, extend inwardly of the building along the runs shown at 85A, 86A and 87A. It will be understood that their mode of attachment to the backbone angles of these various panels and the track structures serving each panel, are identical with those described with reference to panel P1. Each of these cables is set to run over a pulley disposed in a horizontal plane as at 88, 89 and 98. These pulleys are displaced sidely vertically with reference to pulley 83 as follows: The pulley is set the lowest, the pulley 89 slightly above it so as to clear the run 87B of the cable 87. The pulley 88 is set still a little higher so as to clear the runs 86B and 87B of the cables below it, and the pulley 83 is set still a little higher so that it is disposed over the cables 86B, 87B and 85B and will cause no interference Only a slight displacement vertically is necessary since the cables are of small diameter. The bracketing for the pulleys 88, 89 and 90 is varied, as permitted by the building structure. I prefer to use a stub shaft extending downwardly as at 88A from a horizontal plate 883 which is slotted at 88C to receive a bolt extending through a mounting on the building structure adjacent thereto. I prefer that the plate 88B should be at substantially a 45 degree angle with reference to the runs 85A and 85B of the cables, since this is the natural direction of pull. The bracketing for the pulleys 89 and 90 are similar. The mode of attachment for these pulleys is not illustrated, as this will vary from installation to installation.

The drum 84 is carried on shaft 84A which is journalled in bearings 91-91 mounted on a heavy framework 92 that is fastened in any suitable manner to the adjacent walls 4 and 6. This frame 92 may serve as the mounting for the bracketing of pulley 83. The drum 84 is of suflicient width so as to permit the runs 64B, 85B, 86B and 87B of the several cables to pass thereover without interference and/or undue crowding. I prefer that the cables should run approximately one-quarter to one inch apart. The cables then extend directly downwardly as shown in FIGURE 2 along the runs 64C, 85C, 86C and 87C, and are fastened to the supporting framework of the weight box generally designated 92. The construction of the weight box may be similar to that shown in my copending application aforementioned except that in this instance the several cables are each separate and are simply wrapped around tthe main supporting bar which is element 111 in FIGURE 8 of my aforementioned application, and each cable is securely fastened by means of airplane cable clamps.

In each of the runs of the four cables here illustrated, or as many as are used, there will be provided a turnbuckle, as illustrated at 64D in FIGURE 2, so as to allow for adjustment of the cable tension. If desired, a spring may also be connected in the length of the cable so as to provide some resiliency in the cable tension, such spring being illustrated at 64E for cable 64. It will be understood that similar turnbu-ckles and/ or springs may be provided in the runs 85A, 86A and 87A, as shown in the drawings. I prefer to put the turnbuckles and springs where used, in the runs of the cable within the building, between the pulley 65 and the pulleys adjacent the centerline of the building, and so located as shown when the door is in closed position, since this substantially horizontal run allows adequate room without interference with other portions of the mechanism.

The reason for the use of the spring 77 for mounting the front end of the track and the spring 64E in the cable structure, is to permit balancing of the door load sustaining forces of the several tracks and cable structures when the position of the truss deflects due to variations in loading, due to snow on the roof, temperature changes and the like.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 12 and 13, the drum 84 is carried by and welded to a shaft 84A which turns in heavy bearings 91, and at the outer end of the shaft there is provided a chain sprocket 94 over which runs a roller chain 95 extending downwardly. For reasons of safety, a sheet metal shield, generally designated 96 is provided around the weight box 92, the shield being composed of frame works 96A96A that are fastened in any suitable manner to the adjacent walls 4 and 6. Upon the frameworks 96A there is the shield and also mounted a plate 98, having slots 98A which fit over, outwardly extending screws 99 of the framework pieces 96A, see FIG- URE 12. Nuts placed on these screws will hold the plate 98 in any position of adjustment within the limits of the slots 98A. The plate 98 is provided with an internal stiffener 100 and -a stub shaft 101 which extends outwardly and is provided with a spacing collar at 102. A sprocket at 103 on shaft 101 is turned by a crank handle 104, having a hand piece 105 solidly welded to the sprocket. The entire sprocket 103 and crank 104 assembly is held in place by a collar 106 on the outer end of the stub shaft 101. The chain 95 runs over the sprocket 103 and hence, as the crank 104-105 is turned, it will rotate the drum 84 and hence impart movement to the several cables where they run over this drum. Although there is only one-quarter of a turn of these cables around the drum 84, this has been found in practice to be sufficient to provide the necessary application of force needed for opening the door once the door has been unlatched and for closing the door firmly and latching it.

On the inside of the door, at each end of the p'urlins 36 and 37, there are provided knuckle joints generally designated 106 and 107. These may conveniently be made by providing a pair of vertically extending angles 108-108 and 109-109, which are spaced apart and welded to the ends of the purlins 36 and 37 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4. Notches are provided in the outwardly extending flanges of the angles 108 and 109 and a bar 110 is laid in the notches and welded. A similar bar 111 is provided for the angles 109. This bar serves :as a trunnion on which a piece of pipe 112 for the bar 110 :and 113 for the bar 111 is journalled. To this short length of pipe 112 or 113 there is welded the end of an inwardly extending radius rod 114 at the right end and 115 for the left end as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5. These radius r'ods extend inwardly and upwardly as shown in FIGURE 2 and at their inner ends are provided with a pivot as at 114A in FIGURE 2 which turns upon a pivot 116 set in the wall 4 and the pivot 115A which turns upon a pivot 117 set in the wall 1. It may be noted parent-hetically that the location of these pivots is such that when the door is closed it will be in vertical position and that when the do'or is opened, the upward runs of cables such as cable 64 Wi l be likewise vertical or slanted slightly outwardly in respect to the pulleys 65. This means, therefore, the the knuckle portion, i.e., the pivot points and 111 will follow an arcuate path from the closed to the open position and vice versa as shown in my application aforementioned.

When the door is entirely up, the entire area is open from the inner surface of wall 1 to the inner surface of wall 4, being without jarnbs or other obstructions which consume such valuable door opening space. I prefer this form of construction, but if desired the knuckles 110 and 111 may be extended over the edge of the door and provided with rollers run in tracks suitably spaced. If this form of construction is used, as also illustrated in my application aforementioned, the vertical level at which such pivots 110 and 111 are positioned is higher than the level of line 116-116, see FIGURE 1 which is the level of attachment of the cables to the front of the door, i.e., the level of pivot pins 60. The reason for this is that the pivot pin 60 must not be drawn inwardly to any substantial degree as the do'or is brought to fully open position and hence, as the plane of the door varie from vertical to a more nearly horizontal position, dimensional allowance must be provided so as to inhibit any inward draw of the door as it is opened beyond a position at which the cables are vertical to pulley 65. Hence this requires, when tracks are used for stabilizing the lower portion of the door, that the rollers in the tracks shall be set somewhat higher than the level of line 116- 116. The amount that it is higher is determined by the position of the track inwardly with reference to the position of the pivot pin 60. The axis of such rollers being as much higher than the level of line 116 as they are inward from th'e plane of the pivot 60, for best results.

In FIGURE 5, the weight box frame 92, the weight box and the cabling arrangement is illustrated for a position of the weight box at the right side of the hanger unit when lo'oking upward from the hanger, but it will be readily understood that the weight box may be shifted to the left end of FIGURE 5 if desired, or elsewhere placed within orwithout the hanger a shown in my application aforementioned by suitable provision of guide pulleys for the cabling arrangement.

For supporting the door against deflection in an in- Ward direction when it is in a vertical (closed) position, I provide for the bottom of the door sills S1 at each side of the hanger opening. These sills are illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURES 2 and 3, and an opening is provided between the adjacent ends of the sills and a sufficient width so as to permit the movement of the aircraft wheels between the sills. The sill may be of any height desired. As illustrated, it is of a height suflicient so as to be engaged by the inner flanges of the lower pur lin 35. However, the door may be made with greater bottom clearance BC between the lower edge of sheeting S and ground level, if desired so as to avoid interference with snow. Then by providing a flap on the lower edge of the door between the adjacent edges of the sills S1 and S1 complete closure can be obtained. In this way, the door is made to extend downwardly slightly between the adjacent edges of the sills but is otherwise provided with additional clearance at the dimension BC, see FIGURE 1. The use of a flap for closing to floor level is known in the art. The vertical dimension of the flap may be varied. Hence, the clearance BC may be varied.

For holding the top or head of the door against inward deflection when in the vertical (closed) position, I provide a plurality of latching bolts 121-124 and cooperating latch mechanisms generally designated 151-154, best illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, l0 and 11. The cooperating latching bolts 121424 and latch mechanisms 151 154 are here illustrated as being one cooperating pair (bolt and latch mechanism) for each of the pairs of back-bone structures 27- 28 through 3334. If desired, however, a cooperating bolt and latch mechanism 1 7 may be provided on each side of each backbone or in other locations along the head of the door.

The bolts 121-124 are heavy, flat bar stock and extend downwardly and are provided at their inner face with a small piece of pipe, welded on it as at 126, see FIGURE 6. The trunnion pipe receives a pivot pin 127 which extends through similar short lengths of pipe which are slipped on the ends of the pin and welded to a main horizontal pivot pipe 128. The pipe 128 extends across from the backbone angle 27-28, thence across three of the spans between adjacent backbone structures and beyond the backbone structure 33-34. The pivot pipe 128 is suitably journaled in any form of journal on the front surfaces of the flanges of the angles comprising each backbone structure, so as to be in the space occupied by the purlins as best illustrated in FIGURE 6. At one end the pipe 128 is provided with weld-on handle 129 which is normally pulled upwardly by a spring 130 attached to a hook 131 at an upper part of the backbone structure. The handle 29 is also provided with a pull rope 132 which extends downwardly and is hooked at 133 to some convenient location at a lower portion of the backbone structure. By pulling on the rope, the pipe 128 may be rotated through approximately 120 degrees and when it is released, the spring 130 will fetch the handle 129 up and hence rotate the pipe 128 in a reverse direction. This movement is communicated to each of the bolts 121-124 for moving them up and down. This construction is similar to the construction of the bolts, and their mountings and controls illustrated in my application afore- 18 at the underside as at 1280, FIGURE 11. Before welding in place, the position of the slot 128A is oriented mentioned. The upper portions of each of the bolts 121-124 is stabilized against inward movement by a small clip as at 121A for the bolt 121. These clips may be simply a short bar of steel held on any suitable spacers welded to the top channel 41) as shown in FIGURE 6. The clips are made so as to provide a rather loose fit, as close tolerance is not required.

It is a feature of the present invention that the upper ends of the bolts are held by latches 151-154 of improved form, which are unaffected in their operation by vertical movement of the latch with reference to the position of the upper end of the bolt. In very long span trusses, some vertical movement of the truss and hence everything attached to it is occasioned by loading of the roof due to snow or other variable loading and due to temperature changes, and vertical movement of upwards to one inch must sometimes be tolerated on truss spans of great lengths. It is a feature of the present invention that the latching mechanism is of such design as to tolerate such variations without mal-functioning. The latching mechanisms 151-154 are identical and hence only one will be specifically described. They are best illustrated in FIGURES 10 and 11. The latch mechanisms 151-154, of which 151 will now be described, consist of a pair of frame plates 125 and 126 which are pre-assembled and held together by a cross frame plate 127 welded to the rearwardly extending portions of the plates 125-126. It will be noted that each of the plates 125 and 126 is rectangular except that it is cut off along the front edges 125A and 126A so as to avoid interference with the movement of the upper end of the bolts when the door is closing. shown in the full lines in the door-closed position, but the positions 121B is the position of the bolt when the door is approaching closed position and 1210 shows the position of the bolt after it has entered the latch and is beginning to be latched and the full line position shows the finally latched position. On each one of the plates 125 and 126 there is an upwardly extending pin as at 128 for the plate 125 and 129 for the plate 126. Each of these pins is provided at its upper ends with a slot, as 128A and 129A and above the bottom of the slot the pin is provided with a drilled hole as at 1283, FIGURE 11, through which the split key 130 and 131 for the two pins 128 and 129 respectively may be inserted. The pins are placed through the plates 125-126 andare welded In FIGURE 10, the bolt 121 is v 121B and 121C, shown in dotted lines.

so that a coil spring, when placed thereon, will have proper tension as will be described. Upon each of the pins 1128 and 129, there is placed a latch member as 132 for the pin 12 8 and 133 for the pin 129. These latch members are of bar stock and are provided with a central aperture so as to swing on the pin 128. The aperture is approximately in the middle so that the center of moments of the element 128 (or 129) around the pivot pin comes at approximately the aperture on which it pivots. A stop, as at 134 for the latch 132 is provided and a similar stop 135 is provided for the latch member 133. The inner ends of the latches are curved off as at 132A for the latch 132. The radius of this curvature is such that the latch as it swings around its pivot will not present any surface which extends much beyond a certain line across the mechanism, here illustrated as the line 1:38138. This line is the intersection of the end surface 132A of the latch 132 and the end surface 133A of the latch 133 as they pivot and of the edge planes of the rectangle representing the cross section of bolt 1 2l1. The. line 138 is so located when the latch mechanism is welded in place on the truss, so as to allow a clearance LC which is slightly more than the thickness of the bolt 121. It will be observed that the bolt, when the door is closed, will close against the inner edge 1 1A of the inner angle 11 of the bottom cord of the truss. This may or may not coincide with the inner edge 127A of the bar 127 which is merely provided to hold two pieces, -12-6 together during manufacture. However, the distance LC, see FIGURE 10, is slightly thicker than the bolt 121. Thus, where the bolt stock 121 is one-half inch in thickness, I prefer to have a dimension of to /1 of an inch at LC. Each of the latch elements 132 and 133 is provided with a small clip as at 148 for the latch element 132 and 141 for the latch element 133.

These clips receive the outwardly extending ends of the spring members 142 and 143 respectively. Thus a coil spring is provided as illustrated at 142 for the latch element 132 and at 143 for the latch element 1133. Referring to FIGURE 11, the spring 142 is wound so as to have a cross key portion 142A which, when on the pivot shaft 128, will reside in the slot 128A where it is held by the split key 130. The spring then coils in a clockwise direction as shown in FIGURE 10 and terminates along a straight run at 1 42B which extends under the clip member 140 and is held. The tension of the spring is such that it tends to move counterclockwise, in the direction of arrow 144 and thus tends to move the latch element 132 in such counterclockwise direction, see FIGURE 10. The spring 143 is wound so as to have an opposite movement and tends to move its latch element 133 in a clockwise direction as shown by the arrow 145. The latch elements 132 and 133 normally stop as shown in FIGURE 10 against stops 134 and 135 respectively. vThe position of the pivot shafts 128 and '1-29 is adjusted before being welded in so that the springs will have appropriate tension. The movement of the latches 132 and 133 is, of course, limited by the stops 134 and 135 respectively. When the operator desires to close the door, the crank 104-105 is turned in an appropriate direction so as to lift the weight box. The door will then move from an open position toward the closed position. Meanwhile, the spring has pulled the lever 129 upwardly and hence all of the bolts 121-I124 are pulled to an upward position such that their upper ends are a slight distance above the upper surfaces of the latch elements 132 and 133. Referring to FIGURE 10, as the door is being closed, the bolt i121 moves (and all similar bolts 122-124) successively through the positions In so doin the adjacent edges of the latch elements 132 and 133 form a sort of V shape guide which guides the upper end of the bolt 121 in between them regardless of the sideways position of such bolt. The bolt does not snag upon the plates 125 126 since they are cut back along the lines 125A and 126A respectively inwardly in respect to the facing edges of the latch elements 132 and 133. As the bolt moves inwardly, it finally engages the adjacent edges of the latch elements 132 and 133 and begins to spread them apart, and as it intersects the inner edge of the latch the curved portions 132A and 133A of the latch elements respectively will snap in behind the bolt and the door will thus be securely held. It will be noted, however, that since the curved portions 1 32A and 133A, at no time exceed the intersection of the line 1138 with the adjacent inner edges of the underplates 125 and 126A, that it is unnecessary for the bolt to move inwardly beyond its final latched position in order to obtain the latching condition. In other words, as soon as the bolt passes the intersection of the curved surface 132A and the adjacent surface of the latch 11-32, and corresponding intersections for the latch 133, the entire latch element may snap back to the locked position shown in FIGURE and from then on the bolt is securely held.

When the truss moves up and down due to inherent deflection, the latching elements still hold the bolts securely in place. When it is desired to release the door, the handle 129 is pulled down by means of the rope 1 32 and this pulls down all of the latch elements simultaneously to a position such that they clear the lower surfaces of the plates 125 and 126. Then by continuing a steady pull on the rope 132, the head of the door is moved inwardly to a position clear of the latching mechanism where it will stay while the operator goes to the operating mechanism at the weight box and turns the crank 104-105 to complete the opening of the door.

FIGURE 14 illustrates a modified form of the invention utilizing features of construction shown in both of my applications Ser. No. 556,198 and Ser. No. 822,809 referred to above. In the modification shown in FIG- URE 14, both the pulleys 65 and tracks 69 are solidly supported from the truss over the door opening and resiliency is provided in the cable rigging as at springs 64E and resiliency is provided between the roller hangers 68 (in the tracks 69) and the head of the door 2048, by means of spring pendants 180. Thus in FIGURE 14, the truss members A-A support the nailer 14 and truss facing 10, and also solidly support bracket plates 170, which are bolted to the truss members A--A by means of bolts 171. As in my application Ser. No. 822,809, the bracket plate 170 is provided with a welded-on stub shaft 74 on which pulleys 6-5 are mounted for rotation and held in place by a split key. The pulleys project out at least-ahead of the front face of door, of which heading 20 is shown in FIGURE 14, and may reach out in front of the truss facing 10. Cables 64A (B, C, D, etc.) run horizontally within the building then over and around the pulleys and down to the clevis hitch points 59 on the front of the door, which may be at any selected level preferably below the vertical middle of the door. Inside the building the cables run approximately horizontally at an elevated level, above the head of the door and around guide pulleys so that they finally run parallel to and thence over and around the similarly elevated weight box drum and thence downwardly to the weight box. The head 20-28 of the door is supported by the roller hangers 68, one for each track. In FIGURE 14, the tracks are welded or otherwise fixedly attached (at their truss end) to the bracket plates 170 (one for each track) and the roller hangers 68 therefore move along the tracks at 'a fixed elevation or slight slant (according to the position of the track) and do not in and of themselves provide any resilient support for the head of the door. Resiliency in the support is provided by a resilient pend-ant 180 (FIGURE 14) which replaces the fixedlength pendants 81 of FIGURE 6. The resilient pendant may utilize a simple tension spring (like 64E of FIGURE 14) between fixed connections on the roller hanger 68 and door framing 28, but the preferred construction is as in FIGURE 14, where the construction is similar to the link shown in FIGURE 4 of my application Ser. No. 822,809, referred to above. Thus, in FIG- URE 14 there is provided a stub pendant 174 on the roller hanger into which is threaded a rod 173 which has a cap 176 at its lower end. The rod extends loosely through the internal collar 18 1 welded on the upper end of tube 178. A compression spring I177 is held between cap 176 and collar 181. The degree of compression can be adjusted by screwing rod up or down in stub pendant 174. In this way adjustment of load as between the several tracks can be easily attained.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is therefore to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments herein.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a building framing forming the span over a large door opening, a flat panel doorclosing said door opening, rigging for supporting and operating the door for moving the door by a combined translatory and rotary motion to and from a closed position wherein the door is substantially vertical in the door opening and an open position wherein the door is generally horizontal at the top of the door op'e'n= ing and partially protrudes therefrom including more than two spaced parallel tracks above the upper edge of the door, and extending into the building, said tracks being fixedly attached to the building framing ovef the door opening, roller hangers in the tracks and spring connections between each of the roller hangefs and the upper edge of the door for supporting the door for equalizing the load on said tracks when the door is in its closed position. g Y

2. The combination specified in claim 1 further char= acterized in that the spring connection includes eom= pressible spring means. I

3. A widespan overhead door for closing a door open ing in a building comprising a unitary flat door panel, which in the upright position closes the door opening except for edge clearances, more than two tracks ex= tending into the interior of the building, said tracks being located in vertical planes normal to the door at spaced intervals across the width of the door, each of said tracks being also positioned in a substantially common locating plane above the door extending into the interior of the building, a roller hanger moveable along each track and pivotally attached to the head of the door, a plurality of clevis hitch points on the front face of the door panel, said clevis hitch points being located at spaced intervals across the width of the door and in a common horizontal line across the door at an elevation less than halfway up the door panel, a plurality of cables, one connected at each clevis hitch point and extending up the front face of the door, guide pulleys mounted within the building so as each to be in a substantially vertical plane above the upper edge of the door panel and so as to present at least a portion of its pulley groove outwardly in respect to the front plane of the door, one above each clevis hitch point of the door for receiving and guiding said cables, pulley means for guiding said cables to and thence along parallel running paths, drum means rotatably mounted in an elevated position on the building for receiving each of the cables Where they move along said parallel running paths, counterweight means below said drum means, said cables being run over said drum means to and attached to said counterweight means, guide means on each edge of the door at substantially the vertical level of said clevis hitch points and cooperating means on the building for guiding that portion of the door at approximately the vertical level of said guide means along a predetermined path during door opening and closing movement, and power means for rotating said drum meansfor moving the cables equal amounts for each increment of door opening and closing movement, said apparatus being further characterized in that common means is provided forming a common mounting for one of said guide pulleys and each portion of its associated track near said door, said cable extending upwardly from one of said clevis hitches, passing up and around said guide pulley, said apparatus being further characterized in that a resilient means is provided for supporting that portion of the track adjacent said means for mounting said guide pulley so as resiliently to support said door.

4. A widespan overhead door for closing a door opening in a building comprising a unitary fiat door panel, which in the upright position closes the door opening except for edge clearances, more than two tracks extending into the interior of the building, said tracks being located in vertical planes normal to the door at spaced intervals across the width of the door, each of said tracks being also positioned in a substantially common locating plane above the door extending into the interior of the building, a roller hanger mounted for movement along each track and pivotally attached to the head of the door, a plurality of clevis hitch points on the front face of the door panel, said clevis hitch points being located at spaced intervals across the width of the door and in a common horizontal line across the door at an elevation less than half-way up the door panel, a plurality of cables, one being pivotally connected at each clevis hitch point, said cables in each instance extending up the front face of the door, guide pulleys mounted within the building so as to be in substantially vertical plane above the upper edge of the door panel and so as to present at least a portion of its pulley groove outwardly in respect to the front plane of the door and located, one above each clevis hitch point of the door for receiving and guiding said cables, pulley means for guiding said cables along parallel generally horizontal running paths, drum means rotatably mounted in an elevated position on the building for receiving each of the cables where they move along said parallel running paths, counterweight means below said drum means, said cables being run over and partially around said drum means and down to said counterweight means, said cables being attached to said counterweight means, guide means on each edge of the door at substantially the vertical level of said clevis hitch points and cooperating means on the building for guiding that portion of the door at substantially the vertical level of said guide means along a predetermined path during door opening and closing movement, and power means for rotating said drum means for moving the cables equal amounts for each increment of door opening and closing movement, and a resilient link in each cable between its clevis hitch and said counterweight means, said apparatus being further characterized in that there is provided common means for mounting the guide pulleys above the clevis hitch points and for resiliently supporting the associated portion of each track which is over the door, said means for resiliently supporting compensating for a tendency toward unequal loading of said tracks.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 100,373 3/1870 Capron 20--19 1,258,439 3/1918 Ogden 20-19 1,663,196 3/1928 Gibbons 2019 X 2,151,033 3/1939 Jones 40 2,178,137 10/1939 Byrne 20l9 2,937,415 5/1960 Dugger 20-16 3,118,189 1/1964 Dugger 2019 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

KENNETH DOWNEY, Examiner. 

1. THE COMBINATION WITH A BUILDING FRAMING FORMING THE SPAN OVER A LARGE DOOR OPENING, A FLAT PANEL DOOR CLOSING SAID DOOR OPENING, RIGGING FOR SUPPORTING AND OPERATING THE DOOR FOR MOVING THE DOOR BY A COMBINED TRANSLATORY AND ROTARY MOTION TO AND FROM A CLOSED POSITION WHEREIN THE DOOR IS SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL IN THE DOOR OPENING AND AN OPEN POSITION WHEREIN THE DOOR IS GENERALLY HORIZONTAL AT THE TOP OF THE DOOR OPENING AND PARTIALLY PROTRUDES THEREFROM INCLUDING MORE THAN TWO SPACED PARALLEL TRACKS ABOVE THE UPPER EDGE OF THE DOOR, AND EXTENDING INTO THE BUILDING, SAID TRACKS BEING FIXEDLY ATTACHED TO THE BUILDING FRAMING OVER THE DOOR OPENING, ROLLER HANGERS IN THE TRACKS AND SPRING CONNECTIONS BETWEEN EACH OF THE ROLLER HANGERS AND THE 